Acceptable Use Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

This Acceptable Use Policy ("AUP") defines the permitted and prohibited uses of the Tornado API service operated by Velys Software, a technology company specializing in web access engineering and large-scale automated data extraction ("Company," "we," "our," or "us"). This AUP is incorporated by reference into our Terms of Service and applies to all users of the Service.

Tornado API is media ingestion infrastructure designed to serve legitimate media workflows. Like a cloud storage provider, CDN, or data pipeline tool, Tornado provides neutral technical capabilities that can be used for a wide range of lawful purposes. This AUP exists to ensure that all users employ the Service responsibly and in compliance with applicable law.

By using the Service, you agree to comply with this AUP. Violation of this AUP may result in suspension or termination of your account, as described in Section 7.

2. Permitted Uses

Tornado API is designed to support legitimate media workflows. The following are examples of permitted uses, provided that you have obtained all necessary rights, licenses, and authorizations:

2.1 AI and Machine Learning

Building training datasets using content that you have properly licensed or that is available under open licenses. This includes machine learning research, model training, and data pipeline construction where the underlying content is used in compliance with its licensing terms.

2.2 Archival of Your Own Content

Backing up or archiving content that you own or have created. If you are a content creator, you may use Tornado to archive your own published videos, podcasts, or other media to your own cloud storage.

2.3 Research and Analytics

Academic research, market research, sentiment analysis, trend analysis, and other analytical work conducted on publicly available data, where such use is authorized by applicable law and the terms of the source platform.

2.4 Licensed Content Processing

Processing media content for which you have obtained explicit permission from the rights holder, such as transcription, translation, format conversion, or redistribution under license.

2.5 Enterprise Media Workflows

Integrating Tornado into internal business workflows for content management, compliance monitoring, accessibility services, or other legitimate enterprise purposes where you have the necessary rights to the content being processed.

3. Content Responsibility

Before initiating any download through the Service, you must:

• Determine the copyright status of the content
• Verify that your intended use is authorized by the rights holder or permitted by law
• Obtain all necessary licenses, permissions, and authorizations
• Ensure compliance with the terms of service of the source platform
• Confirm that your use will not infringe upon any third-party rights

The fact that content is publicly accessible on a platform does not mean that downloading it is lawful for all purposes. Public availability is not a substitute for proper licensing or authorization. If you are unsure about your rights to specific content, do not download it until you have consulted with a qualified legal professional.

4. Prohibited Uses

The following activities are strictly prohibited. This list is illustrative and not exhaustive; we reserve the right to determine, at our sole discretion, whether any use violates this AUP.

4.1 Copyright Infringement

• Downloading copyrighted content without authorization from the rights holder or a valid legal basis
• Mass downloading content for the purpose of creating unauthorized copies or archives of copyrighted material
• Downloading content with the intent to redistribute, resell, or publicly perform it without proper licensing
• Systematically downloading a content creator's catalog without their permission

4.2 Platform Access Circumvention

• Using the Service to circumvent paywalls, subscription requirements, or access controls on source platforms
• Downloading private, members-only, subscriber-only, or geo-restricted content that you are not authorized to access
• Circumventing or attempting to circumvent digital rights management (DRM) protections
• Using the Service to access content in violation of the source platform's terms of service

4.3 Unauthorized Redistribution

• Redistributing downloaded content through any medium without the authorization of the rights holder
• Operating a public or private content library, streaming service, or download portal using content obtained through Tornado
• Sharing downloaded content on file-sharing platforms, torrent networks, or similar distribution channels without proper rights

4.4 Competitive Misuse

• Using the Service to build, populate, or operate a competing media download service, API, or platform
• Reselling, sublicensing, or white-labeling access to the Tornado API or its capabilities without written permission
• Reverse engineering, decompiling, or disassembling the Service or its components

4.5 Service Abuse

• Interfering with or disrupting the integrity, performance, or availability of the Service
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to our systems, networks, or other users' accounts
• Using the Service for any illegal activity, including but not limited to fraud, money laundering, or distribution of illegal content
• Creating multiple accounts to circumvent usage limits, suspensions, or terminations
• Using automated means to circumvent rate limits or usage restrictions

5. Source Platform Terms of Service

You are independently responsible for understanding and complying with the terms of service of every platform from which you download content through Tornado API. This includes, but is not limited to:

• YouTube Terms of Service
• Spotify Terms of Use
• Any other content platform whose content you access through the Service

Tornado does not monitor your compliance with source platform terms and assumes no responsibility for any violations. Violations of source platform terms may independently constitute a violation of this AUP and our Terms of Service.

6. Reporting Violations

If you become aware of any use of the Service that violates this AUP, please report it to us. We take reports seriously and will investigate all credible claims.

For copyright-related concerns, please follow the DMCA notice procedure described in our Terms of Service (Section 6) and direct DMCA notices to [email protected].

When submitting a report, please include as much detail as possible, including the account or activity in question, the nature of the violation, and any supporting evidence.

7. Enforcement

We reserve the right to enforce this AUP at our sole discretion. Enforcement actions may include, but are not limited to, the following:

7.1 Investigation

We may monitor usage patterns and investigate reports of violations. We may review download activity logs to determine whether a violation has occurred. We are not obligated to monitor all activity but reserve the right to do so.

7.2 Warnings

For minor or first-time violations, we may issue a written warning describing the violation and the corrective action required. Warnings are not guaranteed; we may proceed directly to suspension or termination in serious cases.

7.3 Suspension

We may temporarily suspend your access to the Service while we investigate a potential violation. Suspension may be imposed without prior notice and does not entitle you to any refund, credit, or compensation.

7.4 Termination

We may permanently terminate your account for serious violations, repeated violations, or any conduct we determine to be harmful to the Service, its users, or third parties. Termination may be imposed without prior notice. All unused credits and prepaid balances are forfeited upon termination with no refund.

7.5 Legal Action

We reserve the right to pursue legal remedies for violations of this AUP, including seeking injunctive relief, damages, and recovery of attorneys' fees. We may also cooperate with law enforcement and rights holders in connection with investigations of illegal activity.

8. Modifications to This Policy

We reserve the right to modify this AUP at any time. Changes become effective immediately upon posting to our website. It is your responsibility to review this AUP periodically. Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the modified policy. If you do not agree with the modified AUP, you must stop using the Service immediately.

9. Contact Information

For questions about this Acceptable Use Policy, please contact us: